The Ministry of Health has on Tuesday made appointments to senior positions to Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) and Health Protection Agency (HPA) which are run under the Ministry.

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen appointed Minister of State for Health, Dr. Shah Mahir as head of MFDA and Minister of State of Defence and National Security, Mohamed Zuhair as head of HPA.

Health Protection Agency is tasked with providing information on everything disease-related to the citizens.

The agency is running several awareness programs to keep the public alert about possible outbreaks in the country, and how to prevent them.

The Maldives Food and Drug Authority was formed in February 2006 and verifies the hygiene of food, and maintains food safety and quality control.